Alumni Board

Message from the Association President

The Goal. Raising $16 million to complete fundraising for the new dental school is no more a daunting task than graduating from dental school. Just as each one of us was confident enough on our first day of dental school that we would graduate in four years, so too, we have the confidence to complete the fundraising goal. Already almost $28 million of the $43 million needed has been pledged through gifts and five year pledges. The undergraduate requirements have been completed. Now we just need to complete the graduate level fundraising goal. How will this be done? We made it through dental school one test at a time, one requirement at a time. The same tactic is how we will amass $16 million through additional gifts and five year pledges.

The Beadnell Plan. My colleague and vice president of the Alumni Association, Dr. Steve Beadnell, D.M.D. '80, suggested one time that all we need to do is convince every alumnus to make a five-year commitment to contribute the fee of one procedure a month to the new school. Once a month, the general practitioner could do a two-surface posterior composite restoration and contribute the fee to the fund for the new school. The specialist could pick a similar ordinary fee, as well. We all know that big goals are accomplished by breaking them down into small tasks. The math is simple. Pick a procedure in your office that has a value of $170. Once a month you contribute the fee for that procedure, making your annual contribution $2,040. As a five-year pledge to the new school's capital campaign you have now contributed $10,200.

Participation is what matters. An important aspect of this once-in-our-lifetime capital campaign is increasing the number of individuals who participate. This means convincing an individual who has contributed $25 annually in the past to increase their pledge to $25 a month for the new school. In doing so, a five-year contribution of $125 is now a $1,500 five year pledge. Every gift matters and reaching $16 million will require that we have more individuals participating in the fund raising efforts then we have had in the past.

2014. Ground has been broken in the South Waterfront area of Portland for the new school and the first patients will be treated there in fall of 2014. In addition to the pre-doctoral clinic, there will be a new continuing dental education facility. The new school is going to benefit not just the students, community, and patients, but also currently practicing dentists. Each of us had the confidence, knowledge, and persistence to graduate from dental school. Those same attributes are what is needed to complete the fundraising for the new OHSU School of Dentistry building.

I've made my five-year pledge to the new building. Now I challenge you to make yours!

Barry Taylor, D.M.D. '95

Alumni Association President